How to Become a Functional Skills Tutor

A functional skills tutor helps learners develop essential skills in maths, English and ICT. These skills are crucial for everyday life, whether it’s managing personal finances, communicating effectively, or using technology in the workplace. As a functional skills tutor, your role is to teach and guide learners. Helping them gain the qualifications they need to succeed in their careers or further education. In our blog, we’ll provide a clear step-by-step guide on how to become a functional skills tutor.

Understanding Functional Skills

Functional skills are practical, everyday skills in maths, English and ICT that help people succeed in both their personal and professional lives. These skills are designed to help learners gain the confidence and ability to handle everyday tasks effectively, making them essential for personal growth and employability.

Functional skills play a vital role in our education, especially for adult leaders, apprentices and those looking to improve their job prospects. For many, these qualifications are a gateway to further education or career advancement. They’re often required for apprenticeships, college courses and job applications. By gaining these skills, learners become more capable in their roles, whether in the workplace or everyday life.

Qualifications Needed to Become a Functional Skills Tutor

To become a functional skills tutor, you’ll need specific teaching qualifications. The Level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET) is a good starting point. This introduces you to teaching methods and how to engage learners effectively.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Education, or PGCE, is an option for those looking for a more advanced qualification. This qualification provides in-depth training for teaching in colleges and higher education settings. Both qualifications will equip you with the skills to plan lessons, manage a classroom and support learners in achieving their functional skills qualifications.

Subject-Specific Knowledge

As a functional skills tutor, having a strong understanding of maths, English and ICT is essential. You’ll need to be able to break down complex topics into practical everyday applications for your learners.

Assessing Learners

Understanding how to assess learners is another critical part of being a functional skills tutor. You’ll need to be familiar with assessment practices to ensure your students meet the required standards for their qualifications. Obtaining an Assessor qualification, such as the CAVA, will give you the skills to assess learners in vocational settings. This qualification will enable you to evaluate student progress, provide constructive feedback, and help your learners achieve their functional skills qualifications.

Skills Required for a Functional Skills Tutor

Clear and adaptable communication is essential for a functional skills tutor. You’ll work with learners from different backgrounds with unique learning styles and needs. The ability to explain things in simple, clear terms is key to helping students understand and apply their learning in real-world situations. Strong communication skills also help you build rapport with learners, ensuring they feel comfortable asking questions and engaging in the learning process.

Patience and empathy are crucial qualities, especially when working with adult learners or those who may have struggled with traditional education. Many learners will need extra time and support to grasp the material. Being patient and understanding can make all the difference in their learning experience, building their confidence and motivation. Empathy allows you to connect with your students on a deeper level, recognising their challenges and offering tailored support to help them succeed.

As a functional skills tutor, you need to be adaptable. Every learner progresses at their own pace, and some may need different approaches to understand the material. You’ll need to adjust your teaching methods based on each student’s needs. Whether that means offering extra one-on-one time, changing your approach or using different resources.

CPD

As a tutor, continuing professional development or CPD, is vital to ensure you stay updated with the latest teaching methods, educational technology, and curriculum changes. CPD can take many forms, from attending workshops to completing online courses or gaining further qualifications.

Regularly updating your skills helps you remain effective in the classroom, adapting to new challenges and improving your teaching methods. Whether it’s learning how to integrate digital tools into lessons or understanding new assessment strategies, ongoing training keeps your teaching practices relevant and impactful. It also enhances your career prospects, making you a more versatile and qualified tutor.

Career Pathways as a Functional Skills Tutor

As a functional skills tutor, you’ll have a range of employment opportunities across different educational and vocational sectors. You can work in colleges, delivering functional skills training to students, including adult learners and apprentices. Training centres also offer positions for tutors, where you’ll work with learners pursuing vocational qualifications. Additionally, you could also consider private tutoring, where you work one-on-one with learners outside of formal education, offering flexible and tailored support to meet their needs.

Progression

With experience, there are several pathways for career progression. You could become a lead tutor, overseeing other tutors and ensuring high standards of teaching within your organisation. Moving up to a curriculum manager position is another option. This is where you’ll be responsible for designing and implementing functional skills programmes and ensuring they align with educational standards and learner needs.

Additionally, you might explore roles in educational consultancy, advising institutions or businesses on how to improve their teaching strategies and curriculum for functional skills.

Freelancing and Self-Employment

If you prefer more flexibility and independence, freelancing or self-employment as a functional skills tutor is another viable option. You could offer private tutoring services to individuals or small groups, setting your schedule and rates. Alternatively, you could contract with training providers, or businesses to deliver functional skills training on a project basis. Freelancing allows you to diversify your client base and work in various sectors, making it a flexible career path.

How We Can Help

We specialise in training and qualifications for those looking to become assessors or tutors. With over 25 years of experience in vocational education, we offer a wide range of courses designed to help you gain the skills and confidence you need. Our team of experts is dedicated to supporting you every step of the way.

At Brooks and Kirk, you’ll find flexible learning options to suit your schedule. Whether you’re already working or need to study from home, our online courses allow you to learn at your own pace with full tutor support throughout. From education qualifications to assessor ones, we offer comprehensive training that fits around your life.

We provide fully accredited qualifications that are recognised within the UK. Our AET course is perfect as an entry point for aspiring tutors, while our CAVA qualification gives you the skills to assess learners in a learning and workplace environment. These qualifications not only meet industry standards but also make you a competitive candidate for functional skills tutor roles.

By choosing Brooks and Kirk, you’ll receive the comprehensive training, flexibility, and support you need to kick-start or advance your career as a Functional Skills Tutor.